30 September 2009

Animation Projects # 5

First, is computer animated TV series, called Yans! Gans! It is series of short episodes, set in New York in the future, when plants and dinosaurs have overrun the city. Yans and Gans are carnivorous dinosaurs who spend their days scaring and hunting down the herbivore creatures, not always with desired results. The series starts its broadcast in Japan at upcoming Friday, and the first episode already available on their youtube channel for some time.
This is very funny cartoon, very representable for crazy style of Japanese animation and design, and it even features amusing pop culture references that familiar to international audience as well.



More animation projects - below.

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Moldavian cinema is not really known internationally, they did number of films long time ago when Moldova was still part of Soviet Union, but I am not sure if they have serious film industry right now. They do try to create some animation in there, and here is an example for that.
This 3D full length animated film is called Gypsy, and it's about, yes, the gypsies. Favorite subject of Emir Kusturica's films, with their travel wagons and uplifting folk music, is getting animation treatment.

A band of the gypsies are walking along Basarabia [Area between Romania and Moldova]. Unexpectedly the horse of the main character dies, and he has to buckle down to the covered wagon were his family is because he has to follow the entire band. He is carrying the covered wagon all around the hills, it is really hot in spite of all obstacles.
During night’s lodging, after an exhausting day, the tired gypsy is hearing from the oak wood neighing of a horse and decides to steel the horse.


The film is currently in production, and as it is very common in case with independent filmmakers, they don't have money to work on it steadily. But they don't have plans to give up either, and as they say it's a matter of pride for them to complete the movie.
In the meantime two segments were released, that are not part of the film, but feature the characters and the animation style of the future film. I must admit, it looks very good and absolutely charming.





More details, characters designs and work stages you can find at the production blog, which has English version as well.


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Next is short animated film Sherlock Holmes and Dr.Watson 2, created by Russian animator Alexander Bubnov. It is a sequel to his previous short, about the famous duo, from 2005, and it was so popular all around the world, that he decided to make another one. The work on the film is still in progress, Bubnov and his team are slowly working to complete it, raising money in between. They even addressed to all the people that loved the first film and asked them to donate as much as they can.
More details about the film, including some sketches, beginning of the script and interviews with animators can be found at this website. There is also two blogs for the film, Bubnov's personal blog and production blog, but all of them are in Russian.

The first film from 2005 you can see below in two parts and with accurate English subtitles. It is very amusing and funny short with great imagination and unexpected turn of events.




29 September 2009

Short Animation - Monsieur COK (2008)

Watch this great award winning short animation, translated as Mister COK. I like the sapient WWI retro look and the steampunk style, very cool visuals in this one.



Official website - here.

Better lock the door

Trailer for A Nightmare on Elm Street is here, and although it looks spooky and with deeper look at Freddy, somehow I feel that the movie was reduced to a simple teenage slasher, filled with usual "lets slice that pretty teenage girl with my big knife and see her scream" kind of scares. Being produced by Michael Bay is not really encouraging, on the contrary.

23 September 2009

Take a breath

Here is a teaser for short animated film I Love You, illustrated and directed by unknown young Russian artist Rinat Timerkaev. As he writes on his blog, the animation style was inspired by the works of Makoto Shinkai and the film will be about love confession, but not a cheesy one and with unusual approach. His words.
I do love the clean and dream-like aesthetics, lets hope that it will be good enough to get bigger attention. Since this is a non-commercial project, he will probably post the full movie at some point on the web. Waiting.

22 September 2009

Always Ready

Full trailer for the First Squad, first Russian anime about a group of teenagers fighting during WWII against occult German Order, that attempting to raise from the dead a supernatural army of crusaders from the 12th-century.
The movie was already screened at couple of festivals and got mostly mixed reviews, tending to average marks.



Previous posts about this film - here.

Does this sword make me look fat?

Nothing like getting your ass kicked by a busty lady with a ninja sword. I bet her hair smells good too.
New Thai action film Vanquisher, literary translated as "beautiful samurai", tells a story of a Genja, a CIA agent who completes covert mission in southern Thailand but then betrayed by her own agency. She survives and two years later in Bangkok she faces her old foes and a plot to detonate a bomb in the city. Yeah...



21 September 2009

One Ring to rule them all

In case you didn't know, five leading anime studios are busy lately creating seven short animated films based on Halo universe. Sort of like The Animatrix was few years ago. The project is called Halo Legends, and it will be distributed by Warner Bros on DVD in 2010.
Here is a few scenes from one of the films, named The Babysitter, from Studio 4˚C. Looks like another usual anime product, but since when it's a bad thing?



Via AHT

Recently Hollywood studios show increasing interest in anime, whether it's the plans for live action adaptations of popular series and anime films (Cowboy Bebop, Akira) or projects like Halo Legends and this one. Looking forward to see how that interest will turn out in the end.

Sudden Release

This video clip from Astro Boy is completely captivating. Nice and easy sense of humor too. Me like it.

Nudity

More of this - below.


Interesting Pics

More pics below.

Men with guns:


This is actually John Favreau (on the right), the director of Iron Man, with his producer Peter Billingsley, holding guns from the movie. Is it me or does he look completely stoned?

Well, not just men.

Sometimes old people just don't care:


And other stuff: